as in chat
friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this
at the corporate get-together we made the obligatory small talk with some people from the home office
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of small talk
That principle also holds for doing something scary in social settings, like starting up small talk with strangers.
—
Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
No small talk, no eye contact, no working out, no outside entertainment.
—Essence, 14 Oct. 2025
For example, pickup-only stores allow employees to focus on food and beverage preparation, with less pressure to engage in small talk in the hopes of generating warmth and tips.
—Vivek Astvansh, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2025
Zhu and his collaborators hypothesize that herd small talk may carry cues about bovine well-being.
—Miriam Fauzia, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for small talk
Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
No small talk, no eye contact, no working out, no outside entertainment.
—Essence, 14 Oct. 2025
For example, pickup-only stores allow employees to focus on food and beverage preparation, with less pressure to engage in small talk in the hopes of generating warmth and tips.
—Vivek Astvansh, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2025
Zhu and his collaborators hypothesize that herd small talk may carry cues about bovine well-being.
—Miriam Fauzia, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for small talk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small talk
Noun
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The chat additions are a subtle change since the existing Google Assistant can already pull up a list of nearby restaurants, for example.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
5 Nov. 2025
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Even in chat or calls, people go through ridiculous flows.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The van reaches home ground and no one talks and the only sound along that final stretch is El Camello slapping himself to scare away mosquitoes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Senators are engaging in behind-the-scenes talks to reopen the government.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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There was a distinct set of tales dealing with demons who collected idle chatter in churches, and, over time, these stories were folded into the expanding legend of Tutivillus.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
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This year, all eyes are on just three contests nationwide—and most of the chatter has centered on Zohran Mamdani’s meteoric mayoral run across the Hudson as a democratic socialist.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Each monthly box includes three recipe guides, skill lessons, a kitchen tool, a kitchen project, an apron patch, table talk cards, and a grocery list.—
Jessica Booth,
Parents,
16 Dec. 2024
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Almost everything about Thanksgiving, from travel to table talk about politics, has the potential to become fraught.—
Kendra Nordin Beato,
The Christian Science Monitor,
26 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Small talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small%20talk. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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